Letter: State GOP gun proposals offer no security

I must respond to the proposal of the New York Republicans in the state Legislature regarding guns. I am the mother of two volunteer firemen, and I cannot believe what the Republicans suggest: "a first-degree murder charge for those who kill emergency responders in the line of duty." Is that going to make me or any other parent of a fireman feel more secure and not worry about our children, or will it make us feel better if our child is killed by a gun while fighting a fire?

Let us get real about what needs to be done. We need stiffer gun control laws, we need stronger mental health laws, we need a cultural change in this country about guns and violence and we need to care about each other. Until all of this occurs I will continue to be very concerned about my sons.

Will it happen in my lifetime? Not with the people in government who don't live in the real world or only care about re-election. The National Rifle Association must give out a great deal of money to buy the votes of our politicians.